Other books that might interest you

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  Day's Lodging A (Unabridged)

  Jack London

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  Jack London (born John Griffith Chaney, January 12, 1876 - November 22, 1916) was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone.
  A DAY'S LODGING: It was the gosh-dangdest stampede I ever seen. A thousand dog-teams hittin' the ice. You couldn't see 'm fer smoke. Two white men an' a Swede froze to death that night, an' there was a dozen busted their lungs. But didn't I see with my own eyes the bottom of the water-hole? It was yellow with gold like a mustard-plaster. That's why I staked the Yukon for a minin' claim. That's what made the stampede. An' then there was nothin' to it.

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  A Chameleon - From their pens to...

  Anton Chekhov

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  Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born on 29th January 1860 in Taganrog, on the south coast of Russia.  
  His family life was difficult; his father was strict and over-bearing but his mother was a passionate story-teller, a subject Chekhov warmed to. As he later said; ‘our talents we got from our father, but our soul from our mother’.  
  At school Chekhov was distinctly average. At 16 his father mis-managed his finances and was declared bankrupt. His family fled to Moscow. Chekhov remained and eked out a living by various means, including writing and selling short sketches to newspapers, to finish his schooling. That completed and with a scholarship to Moscow University obtained he rejoined his family. 
  He was able to help support them by selling satirical sketches and vignettes of Russian lifestyles and gradually obtained further commissions. In 1884, he qualified as a physician and, although it earned him little, he often treated the poor for free, he was fond of saying ‘Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.’ 
  His own health was now an issue as he began to cough up blood, a symptom of tuberculosis.  Despite this his writing success enabled him to move the family into more comfortable accommodation.  
  Chekhov wrote over 500 short stories which included many, many classics including ‘The Kiss’ and ‘The Lady with a Dog’.  His collection ‘At Dusk’ won him the coveted Pushkin Prize when was only 26.  
  He was also a major playwright beginning with the huge success of ‘Ivanov’ in 1887.   
  In 1892 Chekhov bought a country estate north of Moscow. Here his medical skills and money helped the peasants tackle outbreaks of cholera and bouts of famine. He also built three schools, a fire station and a clinic.  It left him with less time for writing but the interactions with real people gained him detailed knowledge about the peasantry and their living conditions for his stories.  
  His most famous work, ‘The Seagull’ was received disastrously at its premiere in St Petersburg. It was later restaged in Moscow to highlight its psychological aspects and was a huge success. It led to ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Three Sisters’ and ‘The Cherry Orchard’.  
  Chekhov suffered a major lung hemorrhage in 1897 while visiting Moscow. A formal diagnosis confirmed tuberculosis and the doctors ordered changes to his lifestyle.  
  Despite a dread of weddings the elusive literary bachelor quietly married the actress Olga Knipper, whom he had met at rehearsals for ‘The Seagull’, on 25th May 1901. 
  By May 1904 with his tuberculosis worsening and death imminent he set off for the German town of Badenweiler writing cheerful, witty letters to his family and assuring them his health was improving.  
  On 15th July 1904 Anton Chekhov died at Badenweiler.  He was 44.

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  Complete Works of H P Lovecraft...

  H. P. Lovecraft

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  "The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft contains all the original stories which Lovecraft wrote as an adult. It begins in 1917 with "The Tomb" and ends in 1935 with his last original work "The Haunter of the Dark." The book is ordered chronologically by the date the story was written.

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  Meet Mr Mulliner

  P. G. Wodehouse

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  In Mr Mulliner, P.G Wodehouse (1881 -1975) has created a conduit for all manner of tall tales. The amiable gentleman happily regales the drinkers in the Angler’s Rest Pub with fascinating stories, usually about his own relatives, which range from the somewhat dubious, to the downright unbelievable.  
  Welcome to this eccentric world inhabited by Curates and Bishops high on health tonic, and a lovesick chap who utilises beauty remedies to win his love. A world where a deceased author’s cottage appears to exert a sentimental influence on all who enter, and where an earthquake can lead to marriage. 
    
  Wodehouse’s most famous creations the implacable “Jeeves” and the archetypal English toff “Bertie Wooster” are only the tip of the author’s considerable output. A master of humorous prose, he published over ninety books, forty plays and two hundred short stories.  
  Head Stories presents " Meet Mr Mulliner" - narrated by Simon Hester

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  The Chimes

  Charles Dickens

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  Step into the world of The Chimes, Charles Dickens’ moving holiday tale that explores themes of hope, redemption, and the human spirit. In this lesser-known but equally touching story, Dickens introduces us to Toby "Trotty" Veck, a poor and humble messenger who has lost faith in himself and society. On New Year's Eve, Trotty is visited by spirits through the chimes of the church bells, who reveal to him visions of despair, resilience, and the possibility for change. 
  Through Trotty’s journey, Dickens crafts a powerful message about overcoming cynicism and finding hope, even in difficult times. With rich, descriptive language and heartfelt storytelling, The Chimes resonates with the same warmth and compassion as A Christmas Carol and is perfect for anyone who loves Victorian literature or holiday tales with a meaningful twist. 
  Expertly narrated to bring Dickens’ vivid characters and atmospheric London setting to life, this audiobook is a memorable addition to any holiday season. 
  Start listening to The Chimes today and rediscover the enduring values of love, hope, and renewal as we welcome a new year!

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  Father Brown: The Sign of the...

  G. K. Chesterton

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  "The Sign of the Broken Sword" is a short story by G. K. Chesterton featuring his famous characters Father Brown and former criminal Flambeau. In the centre of a story is a mysterious death of General Sir Arthur St. Clare, who was hanged on a tree with his broken sword hung round his neck. It is a detective story and throughout it Father Brown reveals to us the mystery of General St. Clare.

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